DHAKA -- At least nine people died after a microbus and an auto-rickshaw carrying wedding party guests plunged into a canal following the collapse of a dilapidated bridge in Barguna district, some 180 km south of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

The accident occurred around 2:00 pm local time as the bridge gave way, sending both vehicles into the canal, Kazi Sakhawat Hossain Topu, officer-in-charge of Barguna's local Amtali Police Station, told Xinhua.

"Rescuers have pulled out nine bodies from the canal," he said, adding that 10 people were injured in the accident.